Practice:

-reflecting on what you think, feel, experience
-trying to sort through your perspective
-giving all that words
-working through pain and elation
-revisiting your personal values and how you live them
-before you have to perform when it really matters

Focus on the process not the results

Use this month’s prompts to practice any or all of the ways we communicate: visual, verbal or written.

-Doodle. Draw. Paint. Make a collage. Take pictures.
-Make a digital presentation with one slide per day.
-Make a video. Record a voice memo.
-Stand in front of the mirror and talk to yourself.
-Write in your journal. Write a blog post.
-Write a letter. Use new words.
-Type it. Voice dictate it.

time

There is a special ease of time during Summer, especially in August. There are no national holidays, but there is plenty to do. We take our time enjoying all the goodness.

end of summer days

Each day seems more important than the last. Making the most of each day feels more of a priority.

early morning sunrises

Watching the sunrise in the Summer feels so good. The warmth, the early start of the day, or the late night of the day before. It’s so enchanting in a way that is unique to Summer. The colors, the clouds, the promise of an easeful, active day.

night time walks

I LOVE to take walks at night when it’s still warm and there’s breeze to swish away the bugs! The light airiness of summer clothes, lightning bugs, fireflies, bright moons, starlit skies, dark shadows of trees on the horizon, bull frogs, crickets, all so lovely.

long days hiking, biking, kayaking

I LOVE to be on the water! I LOVE hiking! Biking, meh. But boating, skiing, wake boarding, all these activities are so lovely. The sand or mud between your toes, dangling feet over the pier or rocks to rinse your feet. The warmth of the sun still glowing on my skin late into the evening. Being active, moving my body, testing my strength and abilities. I can’t get enough.

warm nights

The doors and windows are all open. The breeze is warm. But, it’s just low enough that it’s not necessary to use the AC! Perfect. It’s the comfort of being inside but the breeze, smells and sounds of outside too.  Screen porches or tents are the bomb diggity for these nights!

lazy grilled dinners and conversation

Everything’s been marinating or we just pick up goodies and through them on the grill. Beverages are plenty and cold. There’s no rush. There’s no agenda. Just being. Being together. Eating together. Laughing together. Crying together.

meandering art festivals

So many tents to wander through! So many talents! So many questions! So little money despite so many wants! The creative process can be inspiring!

projects

Oh the lists we make! The effort we expend! The stress we survive. The uncertainty we create. And we slowly check the little steps off the list. Then we have new energy for the next, and the next, and the next. And the next thing we know, it’s done, complete, over, finito!

leaving a job

Did we leave everything wrapped up, buttoned up, finished, documented? Did we leave unexpectedly? We often want to leave on the best terms possible. And sometimes we leave with unfinished business.

landscaping

Our visions are grand! Our budgets are practical. Our muscles, oh our achin’ back! But in the end, it’s so, so lovely!

painting the exterior of your house

So many more steps than putting paint on the siding! Select the color, get enough gallons, do you have enough rollers and brushes or are they worn out? Tarps, do you have tarps. Oh yeah, and scraper thingies. Are they dull or do they work great? Fill in the holes, prime the gutters, paint the trim. Paint in the shade! Hurry up, the sun is moving! Feather in the brush marks! What? You have a fancy sprayer in do it in a day?! Ugh!

Summer internship

Traditionally these opportunities paid little to nothing but could be the path to post college employment. There’s a distinct beginning and end, but the impact could last for years if not a lifetime. No pressure, no pressure at all! Oiy….

gardening and food preserving

A bumper crop is GREAT until you stay up until 3am cleaning, chopping, cooking, canning, and cooling jars upon jars upon jars in 7-jar batches in the pressure canner! Maybe more if you only need to hot-water bath them. Or freezing foods. Not damaging the bags. Going in small batches so the freezer can keep up with all the new loot! And drooling over how great winter is going to be with all these goodies!

submitting a non-profit application

The financial benefits are critical for the future success. It’s a tedious process with little room for error.

writing your first book

Typing, typing, typing, typing, typing

Reading, reading, reading.

Editing, editing, editing, editing.

Walking, sleeping, walking, sleeping.

Repeat.

exhaustion

What were we thinking? Are you sure we wanted this? Are you sure we signed up for this? There must be a mistake! This is hard, it doesn’t end, there’s no break! And then, it’s over. Did you appreciate any of it or did  you just plow through waiting for it to end?

busy family schedule

Who signed the kiddos up for all these activities? I’m an event coordinator not parent! All the meals on the go, the supplies, the gear, the GAS for the car! oh the car washes…. The smiles, the exclamations “Did you see that?!?!?!”, the wins, the loses, the exhilaration, the pain, the life lessons.

moving

Keep it, donate it, toss it. Pack, label, stack. Repeat.

Get movers, a truck, a storage unit, easy food to eat and access.

Lug to the truck. DRIVE. Lug out of the truck. Stack, stack, stack.

Unpack, wonder why you kept it. Find a new place for it. 

Clean two places. Shower. Shower. Shower. SLEEEEEPPPP.

raising a teenager

I remember being a teenager. It was awful. It was so hard. What did you have? need? long for? What lessons can you teach without teaching? When is compassion the best option? or discipline? Breathe.

trying to help someone who refuses until it’s their idea

You offer help, share information, check in, listen. Repeat. Wait. Repeat. Wait. Repeat. Until it’s time. Finally. Hopefully it’s not too late.

newborn baby

Eat. Sleep. Poop. For a long time. And coos, and smiles, and giggles. And sweet baby smells. And a sh!t ton of laundry! And walks, and naps. 

end of life care for a beloved family member

The physical demands are often less than the emotional demands. The looming loss, the fear of missing out.

finishing being audited

It’s all in the details! But it’s a heck of a lot of details! And reports, accuracy, numbers, documents, following ALL the rules, meetings. And then the Auditor’s Report. How did it go? What did you learn? What do you have to fix? How do you make it easier for next year?

what’s next

When one thing is ending, another is getting ready to start.  New is fun when we choose it, but we also have to choose to stick it out when it gets bumpy.  This is the hard part. Do you have the skills, patience, tools, and help you need or want?

changing schools

Is it you or your kiddo? The prep, the unknown, the newness. What helps make the transition easier? What do you struggle with? What was unexpected?

next quarterly schedule

New demands, quotas, events, rollouts, clients, software, reports, expectations. How can you position your success now so you are ready to go?

start of a new business endeavor

This is a tricky one. When to launch? Everyone has a different opinion. So, go back to the goal, the vision. How do you take this next step with confidence and strength to move like water, pivot, be flexible? How are you keeping track of the details, and how do you respond when something falls through the cracks? It will happen. And how easily do you move to Plan B? Many layers here!

taking on a new responsibility

New responsibilities always include unknowns. What needs to be wrapped up or prepared in order for the focus on the new to be done with more ease? Did you choose this, did it choose you, did someone give it to you, or did it fall in your lap? How do you feel about it? And how does that impact your approach and attitude?

helping someone else decide what’s next

I believe the hardest thing here is not seeing eye to eye about what this should be. Or you clearly see what would be a good decision, and the person you’re helping doesn’t. How do you walk them through the decision making process? What do you learn about yourself and how you make decisions verses how they make decisions? Do you have enough patience? What do you need as you work through this process? How do you accept their decision?

implementing a new system at work

What is the new system? What is your role? How does it impact your job? Did you have a say in the choice of the new system? How are you preparing yourself to go through this important change? How long will it take to work through all the hiccups? Are you hoping for a 100-yard dash only to find out it’s a marathon? Did you bring enough fuel for the long haul?

first time living alone

Exciting to have your own space! Bigger financial responsibility. Do you do well alone? How will you handle the moments of loneliness?

just one more

These are things we can’t get enough of, ever. They bring us great joy, peace, relaxation, and fuel for what’s ahead.

day at the lake

Just one more day at the lake. Squeeze it in on that glorious day!

late night bonfire

One more night of watching the flame dance in the dark, soothe your thoughts, calm your spirit.

outdoor music event

Catch as many as you can! Winter’s coming!

anything else?

Anything on your Summer Fun list that you didn’t get to do yet? Do it now!

perhaps something more

Perhaps I will indulge a bit more in Summer’s pleasures!

one more little thing

It won’t take long or be costly. Just do it!

oh this just popped up!

Oh this sounds fun! Gonna run over there and enjoy!

And now that you crammed in a few more things, did anything else suffer, get neglected or forgotten because you spent your time and money elsewhere? Was it worth it? Would you do it again? How does this impact your true priorities?